Alkaline battery.



PATENTED JULY s1; 1906. T. A. EDISON. ALKALINB BATTERY. APPLICATION FILED VI'LY 21,71904;

Q /VENo/e JM Arion/VEL 2. y n l 0j' datalized w/n/Ess v effects whatever on any of the materials used.-

. UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

THOMAS A. EDISON, oF-LLEWELLYN PARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOE- TO EDISON STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, OF WEST. V-NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ORANGE,

4ALkALlNE BATTERY.

No. seme?.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31` 1906.

Appleman filed July 21, 1904. serial No. 217,539.

citizen of the United States, residing at Llewellyn Park, Orange, Essex county, New J er-r sey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Alkaline Batteries, of which the following is a description.

In experimentin with my improved ironmckel battery, using an alkaline solution, it was discovered that active suliids were present, thereby lesseningrthe efliciency of the battery and detracting om its desirability as a source of power for use with automobiles, in which art the greatest amount of energy should be represented by the vminimum weight. In seeking the cause of the formation of these active sulids I discovered that their origin was due fto the presence of free sulfur in the rubber insulators orsupports Y(both hard and soft). used in the make-up of the battery mechanicallysuch,for example, as the separators between the electrodeplates, the supports for the electrode-plates., andthe stuiiing-boxes through which lthe electrodes pass. Obviously any sulfur presvent may be attributed to the vulcanizing process.

Mypresent invention relates to the employment of'vulcaniz'ed-rubber insulators o1"`I superably by treating the rubber for about fortyeight hours in-a solution of boilingl causticl soda' or otashv having a density of `35" Baume. find that this treatment results in the elimination of so much sulfur'from the .rubber that no trace of sulfur can be set free 'in a cold caustic solution,veven when immersed therein for manymonths, so that for the purpose of this art rubber so treated becomes perfectly stable and has no deleterious vRference is hereby made to the' accompanyng drawings, which shows in sectional l elevation a stora e battery embodying my Invention; but I o not consider my invention' limited to this or any particular type of cell, as it may be employed in any alkaline battery. The battery type ,in which the active materials, containing shown is of the Edison respectively, iron and nickel, are held in perforated pockets 1, which are carried by supporting-plates 2, plates of like polarity being connected together by bolts 3 3, upon which are sleeved conductors 4 4,respectively. The sets of plates thus bound together are placed in a suitable receptacle 5, preferably of metal, such vas nickel-plated steel oriron, their-lower edges resting upon supporting-insulators 6, which are slottedto receive the lower ed es-of the plates.A The vertical edges of the p ates are received -in a similar manner by tlie vertical' insulators 7 7.. The vertical conductors4 extend upward through the top o r cover 8 of the receptacle through a threaded bushing f 9,-insulating-rin s 10, 11, 12, and 13 and nutI 14 being inserte as illustrated, and forming a Waterproof stuflingbox to prevent the escape ofthe electrolyte throufrh said opening. *The electrolyte used is an alkaline solution,

such as a solution. of caustic soda or potash.

Separators of any suitable form will be inserted between adjacent plates 2. These separators, (not shown,) together with the insulating-supports 6 and 7, are made of' hard rubber which has been treated in the manner described for the removal of sulfur therefrom. The finsulatingrings 10, 11, and 13 and nut V..14 .may be, of hard rubber and the packingring 12 of soft rubber treated in the manner described,

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as followsz.

In a battery, the combination with the electrodes, and an alkaline electrolyte, of an i nsulator or support ex osed to the action of the electrolyte; said insu ator being composed of rubber substantially free of active or uncom bined sulfur, whereby the formation of suliids is voided, substantially as set forth.

Thi peciiication signed and witnessed this 12th day of July, 1904.

TIIOs. A. EDISON.

Witnesses: y

. FRANK L. DYER,

ANNA. R'. KLEHM.

IOO

Correction in Leiters Patent No.1827-297.

It ier'` hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 827,297, granted July 31, 1906,

upon the application of Thomas A. Edison, of Llewellyn Park, New Jersey, for an improvement in Alkaline Batteries, an error appears in the printed specification I requiring correction, as follows: In line 97 the word nsulator should read insula'tor;

and that the said Lettere Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the `Patent Oiiee.

Signed and sealed.thiellth` day 'of September, AQD., 1909.

[SEAL] E. B. MOORE,

Acting Commissioner of Patenfs. 

